Willa Rubin

He is super passionate about it, and he is one of the people who kind of wrote this playbook about how to turn a mining pit into a lake.

He is super passionate about it, and he is one of the people who kind of wrote this playbook about how to turn a mining pit into a lake.

Okay, so first, when you stop mining, groundwater starts to creep back up to the surface. And what do you mean by groundwater? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So when mines are operating, mines are kept super, super dry, and And all that groundwater, this is water that is normally below the surface of, in this case, lignite.

Okay, so first, when you stop mining, groundwater starts to creep back up to the surface. And what do you mean by groundwater? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So when mines are operating, mines are kept super, super dry, and And all that groundwater, this is water that is normally below the surface of, in this case, lignite.

Okay, so first, when you stop mining, groundwater starts to creep back up to the surface. And what do you mean by groundwater? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So when mines are operating, mines are kept super, super dry, and And all that groundwater, this is water that is normally below the surface of, in this case, lignite.

That groundwater is normally, when mines are operating, getting pumped out into local rivers. And it's being really closely monitored because, you know, no one wants mines to flood, especially when people are working in those mines. Absolutely not. Then when mining stops, that dewatering process also stops.

That groundwater is normally, when mines are operating, getting pumped out into local rivers. And it's being really closely monitored because, you know, no one wants mines to flood, especially when people are working in those mines. Absolutely not. Then when mining stops, that dewatering process also stops.

That groundwater is normally, when mines are operating, getting pumped out into local rivers. And it's being really closely monitored because, you know, no one wants mines to flood, especially when people are working in those mines. Absolutely not. Then when mining stops, that dewatering process also stops.

Basically, they switch off some pumps, and then groundwater starts coming back into these pits.

Basically, they switch off some pumps, and then groundwater starts coming back into these pits.

Basically, they switch off some pumps, and then groundwater starts coming back into these pits.

Like, kinda, sorta, not really. Oh. You start to get water filling up the pit, which is great, but a couple of problems. The first is that it can take many, many decades for all of the groundwater to come back on its own. That's problem number one. And problem number two is that the groundwater that is lying beneath the lignite, once it reaches the air, it is often incredibly acidic.

Like, kinda, sorta, not really. Oh. You start to get water filling up the pit, which is great, but a couple of problems. The first is that it can take many, many decades for all of the groundwater to come back on its own. That's problem number one. And problem number two is that the groundwater that is lying beneath the lignite, once it reaches the air, it is often incredibly acidic.

Like, kinda, sorta, not really. Oh. You start to get water filling up the pit, which is great, but a couple of problems. The first is that it can take many, many decades for all of the groundwater to come back on its own. That's problem number one. And problem number two is that the groundwater that is lying beneath the lignite, once it reaches the air, it is often incredibly acidic.

Because when that groundwater comes back up to the surface, it often comes into contact with oxidation products of pyrite. This is a shimmery, golden-looking mineral. Sometimes it's called fool's gold. And it can cause a lot of problems.

Because when that groundwater comes back up to the surface, it often comes into contact with oxidation products of pyrite. This is a shimmery, golden-looking mineral. Sometimes it's called fool's gold. And it can cause a lot of problems.

Because when that groundwater comes back up to the surface, it often comes into contact with oxidation products of pyrite. This is a shimmery, golden-looking mineral. Sometimes it's called fool's gold. And it can cause a lot of problems.

And that makes sulfuric acid.

And that makes sulfuric acid.

And that makes sulfuric acid.